WINTER SEASON ANNOUNCEMENTS
MAY 25TH ISSUE

Hi Everyone,

Seeing steam rising from the water as I head towards Victoria Park Pool just before 6.00am, always warms my soul. It reassures me. I know all be well and I will be warm, particularly as it feels like winter has hit early this year. I know a few of our swimmers have voiced concerns about the temperature in pools, wondering whether it will be warm enough to continue swimming in June, July and August. I’m pleased to report the pools are still very warm, with Victoria Park Pool sitting at a toasty 27C yesterday. Have no fear, we also have a few plans to keep you swimming during the colder months.

Firstly, Prince Alfred Park Pool will be closing temporarily for maintenance work from the 20th June for six weeks, which means we need to shift to another location during this period. I’m delighted to inform you we will be moving to Cook and Phillip Park Pool, an indoor aquatic facility in the city. This means our SwimFit/ squad session on Saturdays will run indoors from the end of June.

We are also launching another Masterclass Series commencing this weekend. Winter is an ideal time to get your back, breast and butterfly strokes in order. The last series proved just how popular these classes really are. Spaces are limited, so do book asap.

Thinking of getting into ocean swimming this coming summer, but not sure where to start? We have the perfect starter program for the would-be open water swimmer. Launching in June, our Introduction to Ocean Swimming program will teach you how to read the surf, as well as get in and out in all conditions. Details of this program later on in the newsletter. 

In other news, I’m taking a step back from teaching and coaching for the next couple of months. A breather in the quieter times to focus on planning for the upcoming summer season, and to take care of my aged mum. You will see me on pool deck occasionally, assisting your coaches. I will still be taking private lessons and jumping in to cover classes, squad and SwimFit sessions when needed. If you’d like to chat, or have any questions, please feel free to contact me. You know I love to catch up with you all. I hope to be back actively teaching and coaching from August onwards.

Finally, I urge you to keep swimming through winter. It is the only way to keep fit and get ready for summer. To ensure you can really enjoy the beach, the pool, and for beginners most importantly, be water safe. 

As always, yours in swimming,

Kari Baynes
Director 

Photo: The steamy Victoria Park Pool, 24th May 2022 6:00am PC: Kari Baynes 

Cook + Phillip Saturday Sessions

The management team at Prince Alfred Park Pool (PAPP) has decided to make the most of the quiet winter season to undergo much needed maintenance on the pool. This means that PAPP will be closed for six weeks from June 20th. As a result we won’t be able to run our usual SwimFit/ squad sessions at this location during that time. 

Our solution: We will be moving to Cook and Phillip Park Pool, an indoor facility which is perfect for winter. The only Sydney Swimmers session that this change effects is the Saturday morning session, which will run at the following time from 25th June:

12:00 – 1:00pm: SwimFit + Squad w/ Jelena Rudd @ Cook + Phillip Park Pool

All other squads and SwimFit sessions will continue to run at Victoria Park Pool as usual.

There will be the opportunity to book some private lessons after our group class sessions as well, from 3.00pm onwards and subject to availability. 

About Cook + Phillip Park Pool
This is an indoor, heated 50m pool that is currently split up into two 25m sections. We will be running SwimFit in 25m lanes in the shallow end of the pool, to accomodate swimmers at all levels. We will advise you of our location at the pool as details come to hand. 

Pool entry fee (adult)$8.15. More on admission fees here.
Location: 4 College Street (cnr William Street), Sydney. Get directions here.
Parking: there is parking available in the Enacon parking station at St Mary’s Cathedral, or in The Domain carpark. 
Public Transport: Town Hall and St James are the closest stations. 

Back by popular demand, we’re running a new Masterclass series starting this week! The series will be a set of intensives to get you in top form across all four core strokes. They will be held at the Fitness First Rockdale’s indoor pool so you can avoid the chill.

Broken up into two 60 minute sessions, covering two strokes per session, our recommendation is to take one of the sessions one Saturday and the other the following Saturday. This will give you time to practise in between and fully reap the benefits.

When 
Saturday, 28/05:
9:00 – 10:00am – Backstroke & Freestyle
10:00 – 11:00am – Breaststroke & Butterfly

Saturday, 9/07:
9:00 – 10:00am –
Backstroke & Freestyle
10:00 – 11:00am – Breaststroke & Butterfly

Where
Fitness First Rockdale, indoor pool at 395 W Botany St, Rockdale. There is plenty of parking available on site.

Price
1 x 60 minute session: $45
2 x 60 minute session: $80
These fees include the pool entry fee.

What to Bring
Fins are a must at every session, as well as any of your usual swimming gear. Remember to bring plenty of water too!

Prerequisites
You must be able to swim 50m freestyle comfortably. 

Book Now!

Victoria Park Pool – Change Room Upgrades

You may have received the notice from pool management regarding the upcoming refurbishment work to bathrooms and change rooms at Victoria Park Pool over the next few weeks.

The refurbishment will take place in a staged approach commencing today, Wednesday May 25th with the men’s change room. During each stage, the individual change room will be out of service and patrons will need to utilise alternative change rooms available within the Centre. There are 4 accessible community bathrooms that will be available as an alternate option. 

All works are scheduled to be completed by the end of June this year.

We recommend that all swimmers plan ahead in the case of busy change rooms, particularly as the weather continues to cool down! Or better still, shower at home!  

Photo: Victoria Park Pool PC: Kari Baynes. 

Want to join Zoe and the 4SEASons program, but not sure how to read the beach and surf conditions, let alone get in or out of the surf? We’re here to help. We’re igniting our Introduction to Ocean Swimming sessions this winter!

This monthly session is designed to help the total novice, first-time ocean swimmer get started.

These sessions will focus on the basics, such as:

  • entry and exit from the water,
  • reading and understanding conditions like ground and wind swell, and
  • how these conditions can affect you when swimming!
This is a basic, entry level course for people who want to get started with ocean swimming safely and with confidence, but don’t know how!
Under the guidance of our instructor and avid ocean swimmer Diana Galosi, you will come away from these sessions appreciating the power of the ocean, learn how to read the conditions and be able to get in and out of the surf safely with confidence.

Where
North Bondi Beach, meeting first in front of North Bondi Surf Club facing the beach.

When
Saturday, 11th June, 9.30am.

Please arrive by 9.15am to meet the class and get set up for the session.
The session lasts 60 minutes.

Price
$35 casually, or packs are available.

To get booked in you can either give us a call on 0431571161 or hit the button below to book online!

Please note: to join these sessions you must be able to swim 500m freestyle comfortably and tread water for 3+ minutes. 

Book Now!

Charm Frend’s Ice Swim For Pain

I’m sure many of you know Charm Frend, the incredible coach, swimmer and Ice Mile champion. Well she’s at it again, and getting ready to swim as far as she can in water less than 5°C! This icy cold swim was held over from 2021 due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions in place at the time, so needless to say there’s been an exciting buildup to this event.

Charm is using this swim as an opportunity to fundraise for the Pain Foundation, a cause very personal to her given her experience as a sufferer of ongoing pain herself. She’s been training tirelessly and working with a wonderful team of coaches and health professionals to prepare for this swim, and we can’t wait to see her smash the women’s world record for swimming in freezing conditions (fingers crossed)!

You can support Charm’s fundraising efforts by clicking the button below, and by following her journey in the lead up to the event through her social media platforms (Facebook and Instagram). This is a great article chatting with Charm about the preparation for the swim, and well worth a read if you have a second. 

Donate

You know we love to test out new equipment in the hope it makes our swimming experience better. Most recently Kari has been checking out SwimEars, the latest in ear plugs. The verdict is in, and we think they’re great! Here is Kari’s rapid review:

How’s the fit?
Perfect. They also provide you with additional replacement plugs in various sizes. 

Do they ever fall out while swimming?
No. The fit is sturdy, but not heavy. They don’t poke out of your ears, so there is no risk of them being pulled out by a swim cap. 

What difference do they make for your regular swims?
They feel light and snug. The best thing is they seal well and yet, you can hear relatively easily while wearing them. And they’re attached via a lightweight cord, so there is no risk of losing them. 

Is the price worth it?
They are not cheap, but I would say definitely yes. 

To find out more click here

Using earplugs for swimming isn’t for everyone, but for regular swimmers it can have a number of benefits to keep a pair on hand. This article goes into some of the reasons why earplugs are often recommended, even for casual swimmers. 

We’ve also been hearing rumours of some incredible upgrades to the smart goggles from FINIS that allow them to track and display your live stroke rate while you swim. We haven’t had a chance to give them a try yet, so we’d love to hear from anyone who has! 

If you’re as curious as we are about the latest smart goggles, here‘s a great article comparing two of the top smart goggles – the FORM Smart Swim goggles and the FINIS Smart Swim goggle – with pretty comprehensive reviews. 

Do you think live monitoring of your swim stats while you swim makes a difference to how well you swim? 

 

While we’re on the subject of equipment we’ve come across a SwimFit swimmer who has just discovered fins. Click on the photo to see how it makes her feel! All I can say is go Katherine! 

Vaccination Policy & COVID Safety

As per our updated COVID-19 Safety Plan (which can be found on our website here), you will be required to send your current vaccination certificate for us to verify before your first class.  You may do so by forwarding it to us, or sending us a screenshot via SMS. Your certificate will not be stored by us once it has been verified. We have a fully vaccinated team and do require you to be fully vaccinated before joining any of our classes, for the health and safety of our staff and other swimmers. 

Are you after a Bespoke, Tailored Program? 

We’re really enjoying our NEW bespoke offering.

Do you have a particular event you are training for and think you could benefit from a custom built training program?

Get in touch for more information! 

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